Chenopodium desiccatum
Aridland goosefoot
(c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chenopodium desiccatum (Aridland goosefoot) is a native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by distinctive narrow, fleshy leaves and arid habitat preference.
Aridland goosefoot is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada, southern San Joaquin Valley, Transverse Ranges, Great Basin, and northern Desert Mountains in open places, scrub, and conifer forest at elevations below 2,900 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces small green flowers in densely packed axillary and terminal panicles. Growing with several erect to spreading stems 12 to 40 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive branching habit emerging from the base. Its leaves are narrow and linear to lance-shaped, 15 to 25 millimeters long, with a fleshy texture and a powdery appearance, particularly on the underside. The fruits are small, approximately 1 millimeter in diameter, with a horizontal black seed that is warty and shiny.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 28 sympatric species - distinctive narrow, fleshy leaves and arid habitat preference
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Open places, scrub, conifer forest
Elevation: < 2900 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Monterey, Mono, Los Angeles, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Riverside, Kern, El Dorado, Alpine, Plumas, Lassen, Modoc, Stanislaus, Nevada, Ventura, Placer, Tulare, Butte, Imperial, Merced, Mariposa
Outside California: to Wyoming, Missouri, Texas
Bloom period
Chenopodium desiccatum blooms Jul-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Chenopodiastrum: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Chenopodiastrum is smooth to slightly hairy without mealy texture.; vs Atriplex: Chenopodium has perfect flowers; Atriplex has separate male/female flowers with paired bracts on fruits.; vs Blitum: Chenopodium has dry fruits; Blitum has fleshy, berry-like fruiting calyxes.; vs Amaranthus: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Amaranthus is smooth with dense bristly flower spikes.; vs Rumex: Chenopodium has 5-parted flowers in clusters; Rumex has 6-parted flowers in whorls.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chenopodium desiccatum native to California?
Yes. Chenopodium desiccatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chenopodium desiccatum bloom?
Chenopodium desiccatum blooms Jul-Sep.
Where in California does Chenopodium desiccatum grow?
Chenopodium desiccatum occurs in San Bernardino, Monterey, Mono, Los Angeles, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Riverside, Kern and other counties, at elevations of < 2900 m.
What plant family does Chenopodium desiccatum belong to?
Chenopodium desiccatum is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Chenopodium.
What habitat does Chenopodium desiccatum grow in?
Chenopodium desiccatum grows in Uncommon. Open places, scrub, conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.